Argentina: More than 2,400 hectares of fruit trees affected by hail

GLOBAL MARKET PINEAPPLE
In general prices for pineapples are low at the moment, the heady prices of the last two years are a thing of the past; this due to a big supply. Even the opening of the Chinese market for some South American…..

Ecuador: Banana producers don’t always get paid the set price
“The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries (Magap), through Ministerial Agreement 265, set the minimum support price of a 22XU box of bananas, weighing 41.5 to 43-pounds, at $6.26. This price is valid between January 1 and December 31, 2017. However, it is not the price that Ecuadorian…..

Colombian police seize 12-tonnes of cocaine hidden under banana farms
President Juan Manuel Santos on Wednesday announced Colombia’s police had seized 12 tons of cocaine, which he said was the largest single drug seizure in the history of the country.The drugs were discovered stored underground when around 400 anti-narcotics police stormed four farms in a banana-growing area in…..

Chile: The challenges of peaches and nectarines
Chile has 14,000 hectares devoted to the production of peaches and nectarines, which generate an annual income of US $160 million for the country. The country exports these fruits from December to March, mainly to the US market, where Chile virtually has no competition. Despite this, the business has been…..

Peru will export 2.6% more grapes this season
According to the latest report of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Peru’s grape production will recover in the 2017/2018 season after overcoming the effects of the coastal El Niño this year.According to the report, Peru produced 605 thousand tons of grapes in the 2016/2017 campaign, nearly…..

Expo Prunes
It’s important for Chile to diversify its prune markets
“Chile has become the main player in prunes because it is a serious country with unbeatable agricultural conditions, it has a solid public-private partnership, and it is a phytosanitary island,” stated the president of Chile Prunes, Pedro Pablo Diaz, at the 5th Expo Prunes, which was attended by over 250…..

Chile inaugurates its most modern cherry processing line
The Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Furche, and authorities of the Maule Region, met at Copefrut’s Cenkiwi plant to inaugurate the country’s most modern cherry production line, which is also one of the most innovative ones in the world.200 agricultural producers will benefit from this new technology that is…..

Argentina: More than 2,400 hectares of fruit trees affected by hail
More than 2,400 hectares of fruit trees were affected by a storm of rain and hail that hit much of the Alto Valle on Wednesday. There are still no accurate records of the degree of damage to the fruit, but producers can see the marks left by the storm in part of the future harvest of apples, peaches and…..

Supplies of imported asparagus to tighten up in North America
Imported supplies of asparagus are at healthy levels, for now. “Right now supplies are good. We’re in the backside of the Peruvian peak and the Mexican fall peak,” says Walter Yager of Miami, Fl.-based Alpine Fresh, Inc. He notes supplies will likely be good throughout November, though December will be a…..

Pomegranates from Heyin, Xingyang
Tunisian pomegranates with sweeter and softer seeds
Now is the season in which Chinese pomegranates enter the market, but because they aren’t easily peeled and their seeds are both plentifuland hard, the pomegranates were instantly placed on the list of ‘niche fruit’ and the market demand has becomeextremely limited.In the past few years, pomegranates from…..

Jose Roggiero of Freshway Produce
“We want to take the tropical roots category away from ethnic and mainstream”
When you step into a supermarket, you may, or may not, have noticed some unusual looking vegetables. These vegetables look kind of look like potatoes, but they’re not. In fact, there are several different types, and each of them have their own character and flavor. Tropical roots form the basis of business at…..

Special Avocados

Jacob Darling – Darling Group

“There is a level of responsibility as an exporter to manage the price point at retail”
New Zealand avocado producers are heading for a forecast 2.5m trays this season, versus last year’s bumper crop which produced 4.7 million trays.”Supply is challenging in a down volume season especially as we aim to maintain our market share,” explains Jacob Darling from Darling Group who markets the Just…..

Global Focus Citrus

Spain: Navelina orange prices 15% higher than last year
The start of this year’s campaign has been very different compared to that of the previous one, as the prices of Navelina oranges, the first marketable variety of the year, are up to 15% higher than last season. There are various reasons for this change, but one of them is the fact that the acreage planted…..

Oversupply of romaine hitting the market in the US
After a tight early fall supply of romaine hit the market, supplies are back up to healthy—if not oversupplied—levels. “Supplies of romaine are plentiful. All the growing areas are overlapping unfortunately,” says Dan Andrews of Bakersfield, Ca.-based Dan Andrews Farms, who adds that volume is slightly up this…..

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AU: Electricity crisis needs to be addressed according to farming groups
The Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) and Growcom have called on all political parties to make addressing the ‘electricity crisis’ a priority in this month’s state election campaign.The representative organisations say there is no clear strategy that involves serious structural change and despite both…..

“We are more concerned about the heat, which is delaying the citrus campaign”
Road blocks in Catalonia cause some delays in fruit and veg shipments
The general strike in Catalonia that took place on Wednesday, 8 November, caused traffic jams from 6:00 am. The first roads affected by the demonstrations were the Nacional II and the AP-7, the latter at both ends of Catalonia, from Camarles (Ebre) to Borrassà (Empordà). There were thirty more cuts as the peak…..

Vita Souss Group / Vita Suisse GmbH
“We have a production potential of 70,000 tons of citrus fruit”
The Vita Souss Group, founded in 2005 in Sebt El Guerdane, Morocco, consists of two cooperatives with two packing stations: Zaouia (Zaouia Station) and Agrumicole DIAF (DIAF Station). These two cooperatives have a production potential of 70,000 tonnes of citrus fruit.The quality of the product is the most…..

“People won’t forget the 2017 avocado season in a hurry”
Ebullience at Subtrop 2017 marketing symposium
PHOTO REPORT Subtrop, representing around 1,200 avocado, lychee, mango and, for the moment, macadamia growers, has just concluded its annual marketing symposium in White River, Mpumalanga.“I don’t think people will forget the 2017 avocado season in a hurry,” said Zac Bard, executive manager of Westfalia Fruit in Africa……

New grape season begins as China protocol is revised
The Australian table grape harvest begins in earnest this week for growers in and around the northern Australian town of Emerald, with Mundubbera and St George to follow in November and December respectively.Chairman of the Australian Table Grape Association, Mr Richard Lomman says the crop is looking similar…..

Inova Fruit:
“We see opportunities to grow further, especially beyond national borders”
By now, Junami has acquired a strong position in the apple segment. The club variety is mostly dependent on growth abroad in coming years. As a consequence of frost, the production is considerably smaller this year.Junami apples are a cross between (Idared x Maigold) x Elstar. The variety is originally from…..

Tomorrow’s Single’s Day bound to push online fruit sales in China
11.11, or Single’s Day, the biggest single e-commerce shopping day in the world, is less than a day away. Chinese shops and consumers are warming up. Endless advertisements through social media are bombarding smartphones and commercial events are being organized all over the country.Alibaba hit $17.8 billion…..

Boost for Australian citrus exports to China
Citrus Australia has welcomed the announcement by Assistant Ministers for Agriculture and Water Resources Luke Hartsuyker and Senator Anne Ruston that China has agreed to amend its import conditions for Australian citrus. The changes come at an opportune time when citrus exports to China are increasing.Citrus…..

Florida citrus takes another hit as forecast falls another 7.4%
Florida’s struggling and storm-battered citrus industry took another hit Thursday as the USDA orange crop forecast for the current growing season was reduced by 7.4 percent.And industry officials anticipate the forecasts will continue to decline as the season progresses.“Unfortunately, I don’t think this will…..

Overview of global deciduous fruit market
South KoreaAlthough planted area for pears continues to decline in a trend that has continued since the year 2000, expected increased yields will result in an increase in pear production of about four percent to 247,300 metric tons (MT) in marketing year (MY) 2017/18.Pear consumption is projected to increase…..

Ocean Mist® Farms mourns the loss of Hugo Tottino
Ocean Mist® Farms sadly announces the passing of 91-year-old partner, employer and friend, Hugo Tottino on Monday, November 6th. Hugo is survived by his wife, Dolores, and children Michele, Les, Karen, Cathy, and David.Known for his warm and welcoming spirit, Hugo greeted employees every day one-by-one while…..

Record US Kanzi® apple harvest launches 2017 season
A record Kanzi® apple harvest has growers thinking big about conventional and organic new-crop opportunities. CMI Orchards, one of only two U.S. growers licensed to grow Kanzi®, is projecting a total increase of 120 percent for the coming season – this includes a 400 percent increase in organic Kanzi®……

Researchers develop food wrapping that kills bacteria
Canadian scientists have developed a food wrapping that has viruses embedded in it to kill bacteria that cause food contamination, according to a study.Published in the journal ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering on Wednesday (Nov 8), the sugar-glass film could be used in the food packaging and…..

Edeka and WWF citrus project bears fruit
The citrus season has started and EDEKA is offering its oranges to the nation. The fruit was cultivated in an agricultural project in Andalusia.During the cultivation of these fruits the use of pesticides were significantly reduced, biodiversity was promoted and only the minimum amounts of water necessary were…..

Hiring of Business Development Kelly Dietz
Seald Sweet prepares for new growth
Seald Sweet International announced a newly appointed position to their sales and marketing teams today. Industry veteran, Kelly Dietz joined the company effective October 17, 2017, in the position of Vice President of Business Development, with focus on growth of the company’s fresh produce sales and…..

Americans are eating more fruit
The average American consumed 3.5 more pounds of fresh fruit last year than the year before, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.The per capita annual increase in 2016 was about 3% and primarily came from more lemons, limes, mangoes and blueberries being consumed, The Packer reported. Dropping in…..

US potato production could be down by 3%, USDA report reveals
The USDA have provided a first – unofficial – estimate on the total potato production in the United States in its ‘Vegetables and Pulses Outlook’ published October 27: it will be between 0 and 3 percent below last year.From that report:Fall Area Down, Summer Area UpThe 2017 fall-season potato acreage indicates…..

Green light for Maersk Line to purchase Hamburg Süd
Although subject to conditions, the new purchase of Maersk Line is on track. China has requested Maersk Line doesn’t extend the membership of Hamburg Süd to a VSA (Vessel Sharing Agreement) – currently active on the Far East trade route to the West Coast of South America – and that it ends the membership of…..

Global leadership in postharvest
AgroFresh purchases 75% of Tecnidex
AgroFresh, a US company that is a world leader in post harvest, has reached an agreement to buy 75% of the Spanish company TECNIDEX.Through this agreement, TECNIDEX will continue developing its project in Spain and in the world and have access to all the technologies, products, research and global distribution…..

New smart-phone compatible device identifies the ripeness of bananas
Spectral images, which contain more colour information than is obtainable with a typical camera, reveal characteristics of tissue and other biological samples that can’t be seen by the naked eye.A new smartphone-compatible device that is held like a pencil could make it practical to acquire spectral images of…..

Canadian produce industry urges parliamentarians to consider important trade and health issues
On November 7 and 8, industry leaders representing the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) met with over 50 Parliamentarians and civil servants in Ottawa to discuss key issues currently affecting the Canadian fresh fruit and vegetable sector.Notably, CPMA…..

450 exhibitors from 14 nations present themselves at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Center
Trade fair duo expoSE & expoDirekt once again set exhibitor record
The previous record of 2016 (434 exhibitors) has once again been topped by trade fair duo expoSE & expoDirekt: 450 exhibitors from 14 nations will present their innovative products and services at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Center on the 22nd and 23rd of November 2017.Over an area of more than 25,000 square…..

NL: Koppert develop gel formula to ensure no residue is left on fruit crops
Leading biocontrol company, Koppert Biological Systems, from the Netherlands, has developed a gel formulation for its nematode range that will increase the shelf life of these highly effective biocontrol organisms, and ensure that no visible residue is left on the leaves or fruit of the crop.The product…..

Global tropical fruit trade due to reach new peak in 2017
Global trade in avocados, mangoes, pineapple and papaya is set to reach a new peak in 2017 though climate change threatens the output of tropical fruit in many growing regions, the United Nations food agency (FAO) said on Thursday.Exports of the four main tropical fruits have been growing faster than all other…..

BayWa revenue approximately €12 billion as of September 2017
BayWa AG, of Munich, Germany, has successfully wrapped up the first nine months of 2017 with increases in revenues and EBIT. The revenues of the international trading and services group came to approximately €12 billion as at 30 September 2017 (9M/2016: €11.4 billion).Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT)…..

Key Technology introduces VERYX® digital sorters for green beans
Key Technology introduces the VERYX® family of digital sorters for green beans. These chute- and belt-fed sorters identify and remove extraneous vegetable matter (EVM), including stalks, calyx, stems and several other types of unwanted vegetable materials often found with harvested green beans, as well as…..

Researchers continue to increase significant amount of antioxidants in tomatoes
University of Hong Kong researchers have generated “super tomatoes” by boosting antioxidant properties through genetic engineering.But they admit there is a long way to go before the tomatoes are ready for human consumption.The university’s School of Biological Sciences collaborated with the Institute Biologie…..

DT Dijkstra enters collaboration with Visar Sorting
“The sorting machine can sort every type of carrot”
DT Dijkstra has entered into a collaboration with Visar Sorting for the delivery of the Sortop optical sorting machinery. With this agreement, DT Dijkstra will be able to offer the newest completely automatic electronic sorter suitable for sorting carrots and potatoes, as well as their existing products. The…..

New Zealand agree to sell agriculutre land to foreigners
The Overseas Investment Office has approved six deals allowing foreigners to buy property in New Zealand, though three of the deals involve entities that are majority New Zealand-owned, with partial foreign ownership.The new Government has vowed to ban the sale of residential, farm and sensitive land to…..

Ventura, California
North American Raspberry & Blackberry Conference to take place Feb 21-24
The North American Raspberry & Blackberry Conference will be held Feb. 21-24 in Ventura, California – a a major berry production region.After an opening reception on Feb. 21, the conference will hold a full-day tour of farms and research on Feb. 22 followed by two days of educational sessions, posters and…..

Carrefour Brazil: stronger profits in Q3
First ‘Auchanbio’ organic store opened by Auchan France
Holland: Jumbo opens ‘city’ convenience store at Eindhoven stationDutch retailer Jumbo has opened its first Jumbo City convenience store at Eindhoven’s central train station to cater for travellers and visitors. The new store offers a wide range of freshly-prepared meals, which customers can eat in the café…..